The Black Book is an object in the Hatchetfield Universe. It is a book of burial rites, spells and incantations. It features in The Witch in the Web, Killer Track, and Nerdy Prudes Must Die and is mentioned in Jane's A Car and Daddy.
Description[]
Written in the blood of children, the Black Book is a thick tome bound in black leather with pentagram on its cover. The paper on which spells are written are yellowed and stained with ripped corners. The book contains a wide range of images including portraits of the Lords in Black and a depiction of the Black Blade.
Spells and Rituals[]
Ritual of Soul Transference[]
The Ritual of Soul Transference allows someone to transfer their soul from their body to another vessel, including inanimate objects. This is only demonstrated as being possible through instances of near-death experiences.
Ritual for Stealing Someone's Youth[]
The Ritual for Stealing Someone's Youth allows someone to steal someone's remaining years of life. This kills the person from whom the youth is stolen but allows the person enacting the spell to become immortal and present as an age of their choosing.
Ritual for Siphoning the Powers of T'noy Karaxis[]
The Ritual for Siphoning the Powers of T'noy Karaxis enables someone to change events that happened in the past. This is presented as happening through appearing in the body of another person and replacing them and their actions in that moment. While this ritual causes a minor paradox, it doesn't change the existing timeline prior to the spell being enacted.
Holding Court with the Void[]
Holding Court with the Void is a ritual that allows someone to communicate with the Lords in Black. While it has to be enacted at a Black Altar, the ritual allows the person to communicate with the Lords in Black from outside the Black and White.
Spell for Devouring Somebody's Soul[]
Though the exact details are left vague, Grace Chastity claims to know how to cast this spell, stating that it allows her to "devour (people's) soul", and that "the souls of the pervs make (her) strong." There is a possible connection to Nibbly, as he claimed during The Summoning that he could "swallow his (Max Jagerman's) soul", and that he "wanted to lick it."
History[]
The Black Book was written in the 1820s by Willabella Muckwab using the blood of the children of what would one day be Hatchetfield and was subsequently hung for her crimes by the Hatchetmen.
The book would then fall into the hands of the Waylon Family and their cult: the Church of the Starry Children. One member of the church Mr Young and his wife Sheila would use the spells in the book to remain young eternally by stealing the remaining years of others and adding them to their own. In 1980 the Church of the Starry Children was attacked by the Hatchetmen and the majority of the church were executed and the Black Book was lost. However, Mr Young had written down some of the spells from the book before his death and as a result Sheila was able to maintain her youth.
The path of the Black Book varies between timelines. In some timelines the book became the property of Miss Holloway who protects it from falling into the wrong hands again. In another timeline , the book was found by one of Jane Perkins' clients. The man claimed the book was the cause of his mental breakdown. In an alternate timeline, Solomon Lauter became the owner of the Black Book in 2005. While he has used the book, what exactly he used it for is unknown.
Jane's A Car[]
The Black Book is mentioned in Jane's A Car by the Tape Voice. The man reads a ritual of soul transference from the book. This recording is subsequently what causes Jane Perkins' soul to be transferred into the car following the car crash. The recording is later used again to transfer Jane's soul into the body of Becky Barnes.
The Witch in the Web[]
The Black Book features in The Witch in the Web when Miss Holloway uses it to access Hannah Foster's nightmare time. It is later referenced by the Judge when listing Willabella Muckwab's crimes prior to her execution.
Daddy[]
The Black Book is mentioned by Sheila Young in Daddy when explaining how she and her husband remained so young. A spell from it is then used by Sherman Young to steal his mother's youth.
Killer Track[]
The book features in Killer Track when Miss Holloway uses it to manipulate time and place herself in the position of Rose. It is later mentioned by Miss Holloway when she's explaining to Duke how he'll forget both her and the book.
Nerdy Prudes Must Die[]
In Nerdy Prudes Must Die, Solomon Lauter reveals that the Book was the source of the Waylons' power, and that he acquired it 15 years ago. At some point in the intervening 15 years, Lauter buried the Book in Witchwood Forest. Solomon tells Steph Lauter, Peter Spankoffski, and Grace Chasity that they must use the Book to summon the Lords in Black in order to stop Max Jägerman. Solomon insists that he will not touch the Book ever again.
Stephie, Grace, and Peter summon the Lords in Black, who offer to get rid of Max if one of the protagonists gives up what is most important to them, which Grace ultimately does. Later, Grace reveals she kept the Book and plans to use it to devour the souls of all "Dirty Dudes."
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